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@Nllh STATES Ariana Prion.

LORENZ KLGPFER, OF MUNICH, GERMANY.

CO LORlNG AND BRONZING LEATHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,653, dated March 25, 1884.

Application filed September 4, 1883. (No specimensl f0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORENZ KLorFER, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and residing at Munich, Germany, have invented new and useful Improvements in Treating Leather for Ornamental Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the production of embossed, colored, ongilded leather or similar materials, and to the coating of the same with metal. I

The various methods orprocesses heretofore employed for embossing leather have not given satisfactory results, because the leather,fbeing pressed by engraved steel rollers heated by steam, loses its original flexibility, and is consequently useless for upholstering purposes. On leather thus prepared,whether coated with metal or having its natural surface, colors cannot be durably applied. The present invention, besides obviating the above defects, offers many advantages. 7

In carrying out my invention 1 proceed as follows: The leather to be pressed is wrapped in a piece of cloth moistened with boiled water to which a small quantity of milk hasbeen added. The leather remains in this cloth for from six to ten hours, according to the quality or kind of leather-such as roan, morocco, calf, or the like-and this time is also dependent upon the color, gilding, or metal covering which it is intended to apply upon the leather, &c. The pressing or embossing which follows the preliminary working is effected without heat by means of stones or metal plates. However, I prefer to use lithographic stones on which the desired pattern is etched or engraved. Patterns thus produced have remarkable advantages, namely: WVhen the plate is pressed upon the leather, the latter, whether natural or colored, receives a uniform ground color or tone. Anotheradvantage is that special colors-such as ultramarine-can be pressed upon the leather which is gilt or covered with a metallic coating. The pressing or embossing is performed in the ordinary press. The leather or similar material, having been treated as above described,is then thoroughly dried, and after six or eight days is washed with a sponge dipped in a mixture of five parts of whites of eggs, two parts of glycerine, and one part of distilled water. By this treatment the leather acquires a permanent flexibility and a greater durability than when prepared by other processes, and is also more suitable for industrial purposes, especially where soft and elastic leather is required.

In order to gild, silver, or color the leather or similar material with a metal coating in such a manner that it shall not be affected by the above-described treatment, the said leather is covered, according to its quality and mode of preparation, whether roan, morocco, or calf, with a solution of shellac and then dried,after which the said leather is covered with a mixture of one-half pound of crude collodion and thirty drops of castor'oil, thismixture being diluted with alcohol and sulphuric ether mixed in theproportion of two parts of alcohol with one of sulphuric ether. This operation is repeated one or more times, according to the number of fatty cells existing in the leather.

A very thin layer of size or other suitable mixture is placed upon the leather, and is allowed to become almost dry, and while the same is still adhesive the gold-leaf or other metal leaf is then laid upon the same, when the leather may be embossed, as above described.

The leather prepared according to the abovedescribed process remains thoroughly flexible and soft, and its gilding is very durable, and the leather is applicable for all embossing processes, whatever the pattern may be.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The process of treating leather preparatory to coating with metal and embossing it,

consisting of first wrapping the leather in a cloth moistened with a solution of water and milk, drying it, then washing it with a mixture of white of egg, glycerine, and water, and then covering the leather first witha varnish and then with a flexible collodion compound, and finally applying a thin coating of sizeor other similar mixture, and applying the metal coating before the mixture has become dry, substantially as set forth.

2. In the process of treating leather preparatory to coating with metal and embossing it, the method of rendering theleatherpliable and soft, consisting in wrapping the leather in a cloth moistened with boiled water and milk,

then drying it, and then Washing the leather I ether, applying a thin coating of size or simiwith a mixture of white of egg, glycerine, and lar mixture, on which the desired color or leaf distilled water, substantially as set forth. is laid, substantially as set forth.

3. In the process of treating leather prepara- 1 In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name 5 5 tory to coating with metal and embossing it, to this specification in the presence of two subthe method of forming a good adhesive surface scribing witnesses. for the reception of the metal, consisting in thoroughly drying the leather, previously rendered pliable, applying a solution of shellac, \Vitnesses; 10 and coating the leather with amixture of crude 1 T. MERZ,

collodion, castor-oil, alcohol, and sulphuric EMIL HENZEL.

LORENZ KLGPFER. 

